Fluid handling devices are becoming increasingly popular and there is an increased demand for fluid handling devices which are both portable and easy to use. Portable fluid handling devices are being used for applications such as home care, point of care testing, fuel cells, fragrance dispensers, etc. In addition, there are many applications that require the fluid contacting elements of the fluid handling device to remain sanitary, such as in medical applications. One method of ensuring the fluid contact surfaces remain sanitary is by providing a disposable valve, i.e., a single use or limited time use valve. However, it is undesirable to dispose of the entire valve due to the excessive costs and waste that a user would incur. Therefore, prior art attempts have provided valves that include both a reusable portion and a disposable portion. Generally, the reusable portion consists of the valve elements that are not in contact with the fluid, while the disposable portion of the valve comprises those elements that may contact the fluid.
One example of such as valve is a pinch valve. In general, pinch valves operate by compressing a soft tube in order to close a fluid flow path. While the pinch valve can operate adequately in limited environments, the pinch valve has a number of drawbacks. One problem with pinch valves is that the energy efficiency of the valve is generally poor. One reason for the inefficiency of the valve is that a relatively large force is required to compress the tubing, resulting in excessive energy consumption. Furthermore, the valve often suffers from inadequate fluid closure of the tubing. Therefore, in many applications, the pinch valve is not a reliable or an acceptable solution.
Solenoid actuated poppet valves, on the other hand, have received great acceptance in a wide variety of industries due to their efficiency and general applicability. However, the coils of a solenoid valve can be expensive and therefore, solenoid valves have generally been overlooked in sanitary environments that would require a disposable valve.
The present invention overcomes this and other problems and an advance in the art is achieved. The present invention provides a solenoid operated valve that includes a reusable portion, such as the solenoid coils and a removable portion, such as the portion in contact with the fluid. Advantageously, the present invention can provide sanitary conditions without the added cost typically associated with disposable valves.